| Title: | The Dynamics of Pheromone Gland Synthesis and Release: a Paradigm Shift for Understanding Sex Pheromone Quantity in Female Moths |
| Author(s): | Foster SP; Anderson KG; Casas J; |
| Address: | "Entomology Department, North Dakota State University, NDSU Dept 7650, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND, 58108-6050, USA. stephen.foster@ndsu.edu. Entomology Department, North Dakota State University, NDSU Dept 7650, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND, 58108-6050, USA. Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, IRBI-UMR CNRS 7261, Universite de Tours, 37200, Tours, France. Institut Universitaire de France, IUF, Paris, France" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10886-018-0963-z |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1573-1561 (Electronic) 0098-0331 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Moths are exemplars of chemical communication, especially with regard to specificity and the minute amounts they use. Yet, little is known about how females manage synthesis and storage of pheromone to maintain release rates attractive to conspecific males and why such small amounts are used. We developed, for the first time, a quantitative model, based on an extensive empirical data set, describing the dynamical relationship among synthesis, storage (titer) and release of pheromone over time in a moth (Heliothis virescens). The model is compartmental, with one major state variable (titer), one time-varying (synthesis), and two constant (catabolism and release) rates. The model was a good fit, suggesting it accounted for the major processes. Overall, we found the relatively small amounts of pheromone stored and released were largely a function of high catabolism rather than a low rate of synthesis. A paradigm shift may be necessary to understand the low amounts released by female moths, away from the small quantities synthesized to the (relatively) large amounts catabolized. Future research on pheromone quantity should focus on structural and physicochemical processes that limit storage and release rate quantities. To our knowledge, this is the first time that pheromone gland function has been modeled for any animal" |
| Keywords: | "Animal Communication Animals Carbon Isotopes/metabolism Female Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Models, Biological Moths/*physiology Scent Glands/*metabolism Sex Attractants/analysis/chemistry/*metabolism Sexual Behavior, Animal Chemical communication;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineFoster, Stephen P Anderson, Karin G Casas, Jerome eng 2015-07238/National Institute of Food and Agriculture/ 2018/05/11 J Chem Ecol. 2018 Jun; 44(6):525-533. doi: 10.1007/s10886-018-0963-z. Epub 2018 May 10" |
